The Prime Merlinian's Master
by ArsenicAngel
Summary: "I'm not your mentor, I'm your master." Those words had haunted Dave from the moment Balthazar said them.  Lemon, Dave/Balthazar slash
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the wonder that is _The Sorcerer's Apprentice_ (Disney does), and I am certainly not making any money off of this. But I have been squeeing over the slash-romance overtones between these two ever since that 'I'm not your mentor' line was uttered, so...yeah, lol. Lemon, and probably gonna have multiple chapters.

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"_I'm not your mentor. I'm your master_."

Dave slammed his alarm clock against the nightstand with a groan, silencing the loud beeping that had woken him. He ran his hand through his short, black hair as he worked to shake the memory of those words from his head. Ever since Balthazar had said them, they had stuck in the back of his mind. After his break-up with Becky, it had relocated to the forefront and pretty well taunted him. Balthazar's renewed relationship with Veronica had been short-lived as well, though the older man didn't seem to mind. Not long after, Dave had been startled to find the sorcerer on his doorstep in the morning, holding up a single key on a keyring.

Apparently, Balthazar had taken it upon himself to purchase a new store to replace _Arcana Cabana_, including a double apartment above, and a large basement below. When Dave had answered the door, the key was thrown at him before Balthazar stepped into his small dorm, sending boxes to packing themselves without waiting for Dave to say anything. Not that he had any objections to sharing the apartment with the man; they were still meeting every other night to practice in the old subway turnaround, and it would only be more convenient to live together. It had just been a surprise.

Finally dragging himself from bed, Dave dressed and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he headed down to the shared kitchen. Balthazar was sitting at the table, his feet propped up on the table with a newspaper in one hand and a cup of coffee on the table beside him. Without looking up, he waved his hand slightly as Dave entered the room, opening the refrigerator for him. "Uh...thanks," Dave muttered, grabbing the milk and shutting the door.

"You've been talking in your sleep again, Dave." He jumped nervously at the words, forgetting the cereal box he had been reaching for in the cupboard and turning to face Balthazar, pressing his back against the counter.

"Well, I-I...uh...Wh-what did I say?" he stammered, watching the other man's expression carefully.

"I believe you were talking to me about something." Balthazar still hadn't looked up at him, though Dave suspected from his tone that he had heard quite a bit more than what he was letting on. Turning away again, he focused on grabbing the cereal box and preparing his breakfast, struggling to keep his voice calm as he responded.

"Are you sure? I don't recall dreaming anything like that." Dave kept his eyes trained on the bowl in his hands as he moved to the table, only looking up when Balthazar gestured with his hand and pulled his chair out for him. Their eyes met, and he swore he saw a smirk hovering around the edges of his master's lips.

"You're still a horrible liar, Dave," Balthazar said, setting his paper down and standing, turning towards the staircase that led to the shop. "When you're finished, join me downstairs. We're overdue for a sparring match."

Returning his attention to his breakfast, Dave ate slowly, considering Balthazar's words. Rather than seeming upset or even disgusted by the things that he'd said- because Dave vividly remembered the dream he'd been having and knew that he had likely said more than one incriminating thing- his master had seemed amused, or even interested. After living together for the last two months, he suspected that Balthazar had already become aware of his growing attraction towards him. However, he had never seen anything to suggest that he felt the same, which left Dave wondering how to proceed. Things with Becky had been almost too easy, and he had quickly realized that she wasn't what he had wanted.

More and more, he found himself thinking of Balthazar when he was with her, and their brief romance had fallen apart because of it. Of course, he had never confided that information in the other man, not wanting to jeopardize the strange relationship they shared. Today, Balthazar had shown the first sign that he was really aware of Dave's interest in him, and his attitude towards that information was almost promising. Quickly abandoning the dirty bowl and spoon in the sink, Dave took a deep breath and nearly sprinted down to the basement.

As he stepped onto the stone floor, he noticed Balthazar rising from the chair he'd been sitting in. He didn't speak as he folded his arms over his chest, watching him with an expectant expression that Dave recognized from their previous sparring matches. Standing across the room from him, Dave met his eyes and fired a plasma bolt, unsurprised when Balthazar easily dispersed it. "You're predictable," Balthazar said, though his tone was one of amusement. He stepped a little closer, flicking his hand and sending one of the chairs around the room flying towards Dave.

"I'm not the only one," Dave replied, waving the chair away with a grin. After all of their training together, he was used to most of Balthazar's tricks, and the two of them mainly sparred only for fun now. The grin quickly slipped from his face, though, as he was suddenly pressed against the wall with Balthazar in front of him, smirking. Confused and somewhat flustered by their position, Dave met the other man's eyes nervously.

"Is this predictable, David?" He was about to ask what he meant when Balthazar leaned closer, pressing their lips together. When he pulled away a moment later, Dave looked at him with wide eyes, unsure how to respond.

"Ba-" he started, swallowing the nervous lump that rose in his throat, "Balthazar?"

"Is something wrong?" Balthazar asked, tilting his head to the side and allowing his breath to ghost across Dave's neck as he pressed him more firmly to the wall. Their bodies were pressed together, and his breath hitched in his throat as one of Balthazar's hands appeared on his leg, pressing firmly against his thigh. The hand moved upwards, brushing against the bulge straining the front of his jeans, and Dave leaned his head back against the wall with a groan. "I suppose I have my answer."

He pulled away suddenly, leaving Dave to collect himself before with a look of confusion. "Wha-...what just happened?"

"I would assume that was obvious," Balthazar replied nonchalantly, facing away from him.

"Uh, no! No, it's not," Dave snapped, coming up behind Balthazar and grabbing his shoulder to stop him from moving away. "Just...tell me what's going on."

"What do you want from me, Dave?" Balthazar hissed.

"I want you to do that again," Dave replied softly after a moment, dropping his hand from the other's shoulder and shifting nervously.

"You don't know what you're asking." Looking up, Dave met Balthazar's eyes and swallowed.

"Please, Balthazar, I-" Before he was able to finish, the sorcerer pushed his hand out, sending Dave against the wall, stalking slowly toward him with fire in his eyes.

"Is that really what you want to call me?" he asked, a dark smile tugging at his lips. "I seem to remember you saying something different in your sleep."

"M-Master?" Dave's voice rose a bit in his nervousness, his body tensing as Balthazar grinned wickedly at him, stepping closer and pressing their bodies together once again.

"Good," he said, his tone a mix of approval and amusement. "You're learning." Leaning in, Balthazar pressed his lips to Dave's, deepening the kiss when the younger man moaned softly. He moved one hand to Dave's chest, slowly trailing it over the length of his shirt, watching the fabric turn to ash beneath his fingers. The slight chill of the room against his skin caught the younger man's attention and he pulled back a little.

"Hey...I liked that shirt..."

"I'll buy you a new one later," Balthazar muttered, stooping his head to nibble Dave's neck. His hands ran over the expanse of Dave's exposed chest, chuckling to himself when he arched into the touch. "Are you sure that you want this, Dave?" he asked, dragging his teeth along the curve of his neck.

"Yes," Dave replied breathlessly, groaning as Balthazar pressed more firmly against him, his erection obvious even through their pants, as it pressed against his thigh.

"Again," he said sternly, using the tone usually reserved for ordering that Dave re-attempt a spell. He felt his apprentice tremble beneath his touch and smirked.

"Yes, Master," Dave whispered a moment later, his cheeks flushed as he shyly met Balthazar's eyes.

"Where's your confidence, Dave?" he asked, trailing his hand along Dave's slim side toward the waist of his jeans. Before he was able to remove them the way he had his shirt, Dave grabbed his wrist to stop him. His other hand grabbed the back of Balthazar's neck, pulling him into another kiss to distract him for a moment. When they pulled apart again, Balthazar found himself pressed against the stone wall, with Dave's hands on either side of him.

"Is this a little better?" Dave tugged at the fastenings of Balthazar's pants, opening them eagerly as he lowered himself to his knees. Freeing the other man's cock from the confines of his boxers, Dave wrapped his lips around the head and slowly began taking his length into his mouth. Above him, Balthazar leaned his head back against the wall, bringing his hands to the back of Dave's head to thread his fingers through his short hair. Encouraged by the action, Dave continued sucking his cock with more enthusiasm, his eyes closing as he did so.

Balthazar's breath quickened as he thrust himself upward into Dave's mouth, his hands holding the younger man in place. To his surprise, his apprentice grabbed hold of his ass and held him there, looking up to meet his gaze. Groaning loudly, Balthazar turned to glance around the room until he spotted the large table against the wall across from them. With a gesture of his hand, he lifted it from the stone floors and waved it closer before finally dropping it only a foot away from them.

"Dave," he said loudly, his voice strained with arousal. Dave pulled back to ask what was wrong when Balthazar's lip curved up in a smirk and he levitated him, dropping him neatly on his back over the moved table. He nearly laughed, until he saw the dark glint of desire in his master's eyes and shivered in anticipation. With another quick flick of his hands, Balthazar turned Dave's jeans to ash, leaving him naked against the wood beneath him.

"Hey!" Dave protested, shifting up onto his elbows and then freezing. Balthazar had destroyed his own clothing as well, and he found himself staring at the older man with wide, hungry eyes. His tongue darted out to wet his suddenly dry lips as Balthazar closed the remaining distance between them, laying his own body over Dave's on the table.

"Problem, Dave?" he asked, positioning himself between his legs. Without looking away from the man beneath him, he summoned a small bottle from one of the boxes he kept stored in the corner, which Dave immediately recognized to be a lubricant.

"H-how are you calm enough to do that," Dave asked, breathlessly. He had begun grinding rather shamelessly against the head of Balthazar's cock, which rested lightly against him. His master chuckled softly as he opened the bottle and poured a generous amount of lube in his hand before tossing it away.

"Several hundred years of practice," he replied, coating his cock slowly as he shifted between Dave's legs. Satisfied that he was properly lubricated, and that Dave was ready- illustrated by the younger man's continued grinding against him- Balthazar aligned himself with with Dave's opening and entered him slowly. Dave arched his back, leaning his head back with a loud moan, catching the older man by surprise. The sound fueled his desire for the man beneath him, and he found himself struggling to remain controlled as he continued to slowly push the length of his cock into Dave's ass.

When he was fully inside him a moment later, Balthazar leaned down to kiss his apprentice hungrily, rocking his hips forward to test his responses. Dave wrapped his arms around his neck, holding him in the kiss as he moaned, causing something within Balthazar to break. Growling against the other's lips, he began to thrust himself in and out of Dave, eliciting a cry of pleasure from him as his eyes slid closed and he ground himself up to meet each thrust. Balthazar wrapped his hand around Dave's cock as he continued to fuck him, stroking his cock teasingly and watching as Dave writhed in pleasure beneath him.

"Balthazar!" Dave moaned, his hands gripping his shoulders as he bucked against him. His skin was flushed, and the heaving of his chest as he panted for breath set Balthazar's blood boiling. It was beautiful in the darkest way, and he couldn't resist trailing one hand over the younger man's chest. The touch startled Dave, who opened his eyes to look at him with a mixture of lust and something more intense in his eyes. Balthazar shivered as he recognized the second emotion, though afraid to give it much thought at the moment. Dipping his head, he brushed his lips teasingly against Dave's, pressing his hand firmly to his wrist, pinning him to the table when Dave tried to wrap his arm around his neck again.

"Mine?" he ground out, his voice thick and deep in his state of arousal. He felt Dave shudder beneath him and the strangled sound of his answering hum brought a smile to his lips. Giving Dave's cock a firm squeeze, Balthazar moved his mouth to his ear and murmured, "Excuse me?"

"Yes!" Dave hissed, drawing the syllable into a moan as Balthazar began stroking him quicker, keeping pace with the speed of his thrusts. For a moment, the only sounds in the room were their panting breaths and Dave's loud moans. When Dave tensed around Balthazar's cock with a whine, he heard the older man chuckle and blushed.

"Come for me, Dave." The words were stern and confident in his ear, and Dave leaned his head back, the cry of pleasure silenced by Balthazar's lips on his once again. He parted his lips when Balthazar's tongue pressed against them, and melted into the kiss as his master ravaged his mouth. As he came a moment later, coating his stomach as well as the other man's hand, he felt Balthazar still above him and smiled to himself.

They pulled apart slowly, though Balthazar didn't move from his position over Dave. Instead, he met his apprentice's eyes, searching for any sign that the younger man was upset by their behavior. When Dave gave him a slight smile, he relaxed against his chest with a loud groan.

"Did I exhaust you, old man?" Dave's tone was teasing, and Balthazar smiled against his chest without bothering to lift his head.

"Watch it, Dave, or I'll be forced to remind you why I'm the master in this relationship," Balthazar replied, delighting at the trembling breath he felt Dave take in response.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the wonder that is _The Sorcerer's Apprentice_ (Disney does), and I am certainly not making any money off of this.

So, yeah. My muse liked this pairing too much to let it go with one chapter. There will be more chapters, and many more delicious lemons to come.

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Balthazar was leaning over the _Incantus_ when Dave nervously entered the basement training space later that evening. After the unexpected events that morning, things had seemed a little awkward between them, and he had retreated to his room to give them both a bit of space to think. "Balthazar?" he asked, noticing the new, rather comfortable looking chair that the older man was sitting in.

"Yes, Dave?"

"Where'd the chair come from?" Balthazar still hadn't looked up from the page in front of him, and only rapped his ring against the wooden table a few times. "Oh, uhm...right. Magic. So, listen! About this morning, I-"

"I'm sorry, Dave." His voice was emotionless as he closed the _Incantus_ with a loud thud, turning away as he rose. The response startled Dave for a moment, allowing a moment of silence to pass between them. Balthazar's shoulders slumped when there was no reply to his words, and he began to cross the room away from Dave with a determined stride. Realizing what was happening, Dave stepped forward, reaching out for the other man, only to have his hand quickly shrugged off.

"Wha-what are you sorry for? Where are you going?" he asked, bewildered.

"Obviously my behavior bothered you, so I think it's best if I leave for the time being." He had snatched up his trenchcoat from the hook in the wall, tugging it on with frustrated force and was already beginning to head for the staircase.

"Stop!" Dave pleaded, feeling his emotions get the better of him when Balthazar continued walking. "Balthazar, _STOP!_" He hadn't realized what he was doing until he saw his master being dragged back towards him by an invisible force. The heels of his shoes were dragging over the stone flooring as he looked over his shoulder with a look of surprise and confusion. He came to rest immediately in front of Dave, and with a sigh, he turned to face the younger man.

"Yes, Dave?"

"Could you really just walk away like that?" Balthazar was taken aback by the question, his eyes widening for a moment before narrowing as he gave his apprentice a considering look. Dave looked hurt, as if he was on the verge of tears, and his retreat this morning suddenly made sense. Slowly reaching his hand out in case he wished to stop him, Balthazar placed his hand against Dave's cheek.

"No," he whispered, giving his head a small shake. "No, I couldn't just walk away, Dave. I'd have given you space, but I wouldn't have given up." Before he knew what had happened, Balthazar found himself with an armful of Dave, who threw himself at the older man and pressed their lips together. As soon as Balthazar wrapped his arms around his waist, Dave pulled back slightly with the hint of a smile hovering around the corners of his mouth.

"And I thought I was sappy."

"Well, you are," Balthazar murmured, tightening his arm around Dave's waist as he slid the other up his back to thread through his hair. The younger man tilted his head back with a soft sigh, making him chuckle as he withdrew. His apprentice stumbled slightly, looking at him with a quiet whimper escaping his lips. "As tempting as spending another hour in the same manner we passed this morning," Balthazar said with a smirk, turning away and returning to his newly created chair, shifting it to face the center of the room, "We still have training to do." He gestured with his hand for Dave to proceed, eliciting a playful groan from his apprentice.

"Of course, _Master_," he muttered, moving the the middle of the space and creating the circle in a burst of green flames. Behind him, he heard Balthazar's amused chuckle, the dark undertone of the sound reminding him of earlier that morning, when he had demanded Dave call him that. A thrill rippled along his spine as he turned nervously to face the other man, shuffling his feet a bit. "So, uh...What's the lesson for today?"

"Fire," Balthazar answered simply, receiving a raised eyebrow from Dave.

"We've already done that, though."

"In small amounts, yes. What we haven't covered yet is creating and controlling a larger blaze." Dave's eyes widened slightly, and his lips formed a small 'oh' of understanding as he remembered the day he met Balthazar in _Arcana Cabana_ and the fire Horvath had started there. Looking around suddenly at the boxes, table, and- most importantly- the _Incantus_ that were stored around them, his brow furrowed slightly.

"But how do I do that without burning everything?"

Balthazar sighed softly, shaking his head. "Dave, do you really think I'd leave everything down here for this if I wasn't going to make sure it was protected?" Taking a closer look, Dave noticed the faint sheen of a shield around the perimeter of the room and nodded slightly to hide his embarrassment.

"Right...So, I should probably just start then?"

"Yes, Dave. You should probably just start," Balthazar replied, repressing a fond smile at his apprentice's awkwardness.

For the next hour, Dave tried again and again to sustain a flame for longer than a few seconds, receiving a somewhat annoyed order of 'again' from Balthazar. After a while, the older man returned his attention to the _Incantus_, knowing that Dave would let out some kind of triumphant cry if he managed to create a viable blaze. When he finally stopped with a frustrated sigh, Dave looked over at his master, preparing to ask if he could take a break when he noticed how absorbed the older man was in his reading. His hair was hanging in his eyes, and the look of concentration on his face was rather attractive. As Dave looked over his clothes- he was still wearing the trench-coat over the black pants, shirt, and leather vest he always wore- a spark of inspiration hit him with a smirk.

When Balthazar had turned his clothing to ash that morning, there hadn't been the heat of a flame to imply they were burned. But the magic had held a hint of warmth that suggested to him that it had been involved, giving him a probable theory for how it had been done. Taking a moment to clear his mind, he focused on all of his master's clothing, with the exception of the trench-coat; he liked that too much to ruin it. Envisioning the particles of the fabrics, he willed them to shake, and at the same time, to move apart, breaking their bonds at the instant of ignition, turning the clothes to ash without a flame. Within an instant, Balthazar was left in only his rawhide coat with the large leather _Incantus_ in his lap.

It took him a moment to realize what had happened, but when he did, he looked up at Dave, meeting his smirking eyes with a combination of amusement, surprise, and interest. "Impressive," Balthazar said, waving his hand and sending the _Incantus_ floating back to the desk beside him. Without the book to cover him, Dave was given an uninhibited view of the older man's body for the second time that day, and took it in eagerly.

Balthazar was showing no signs of shame or embarrassment as Dave's eyes raked over him; 'And why should he, with a body like that?' Dave thought. His entire body was nicely toned muscles, though not overly so that they looked unnatural. There was the faint outline of his abs, dipping slightly between the muscles and tempting Dave to run his tongue over the exposed lines of flesh. He followed the dusting of dark hair that trailed along Balthazar's stomach, down to the base of his cock. Dave let out a low groan as he took the time to actually look at it for the first time, remembering the wonderful taste and feel of it in his mouth from that morning. When the other man cleared his throat softly, he snapped his eyes back to his face with a blush.

Standing, Balthazar crossed the floor to stand in front of him, not bothering to close his trench-coat over his naked body as he wrapped his arm around Dave's waist and pulled him flush against him. Leaning in, he claimed his apprentice's lips in a hungry kiss, his grip on his waist rough and possessing. Dave let out a soft whine against his lips, pressing his body up against the other man's. Unsurprisingly, Balthazar took advantage of the position and moved his hands to Dave's ass, using it to hold him close.

"You should know, Dave," Balthazar murmured as he broke their lips apart as his fingers dug almost painfully into the flesh beneath them. "I'm a very possessive man." Dave took a trembling breath at his words, pressing his body against Balthazar's with a soft, needy whimper; the older man chuckled darkly at the reaction. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes!" It came out in a hiss, which quickly became a quiet yelp as Balthazar adjusted the placement of his hands and lifted him. Dave wrapped his arms and legs around the older man's body, half out of instinct, and half out of a fear that he would be dropped otherwise. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"Carrying you to a bed, obviously," Balthazar replied, the corner of his lips quirking up as he headed towards the stairs. Dave squirmed against him, making him freeze and shoot his apprentice a warning glance. "I wouldn't do that again unless you don't wish to make it to the bedroom."

"What do you mean?" Dave asked, with feigned innocence as he shifted against the older man once again. With a low growl, Balthazar stopped, pressing Dave into the corner of the wall beside the stairs, his hands sliding along his thighs, roughly. He was about to open his mouth to reply when he found himself being pushed away easily with a wave of Dave's magic, the stones of the wall melding around his wrists in strong- though surprisingly comfortable- restraints as the younger man smirked at him. "See you upstairs, _Master_."

Dave nearly sprinted up the stairs, with Balthazar watching his ass move with glittering eyes. As powerful as he was, he was inexperienced, and it was all too easy for Balthazar to break the stone cuffs, though he allowed Dave a few moments of a head start.

Balthazar sauntered into his own bedroom to find Dave reclining against the headboard of his bed. "You seem to have forgotten, Dave," he practically purred, a wave of his hand sending the curtains of the window snaking around the wooden headboard to wrap around his apprentice's wrists, pinning them securely, "That age and treachery overcomes youth and skill." As he spoke, Balthazar casually shrugged his trench-coat from his shoulders, laying it neatly over the back of the desk chair beside the door as he looked down at his apprentice.

Casting the curtain bindings a brief glance, Dave looked at him with a raised eyebrow, his tone amused. "You know, I could just take care of these the same way that I did your clothes."

"You could," Balthazar acknowledged, climbing over the still-clothed younger man, quickly loosening the buttons of his shirt to expose the flesh of his chest. Leaning down, he nipped at the sensitive flesh behind his ear, his voice still a sinister and tantalizing purr as he spoke, "But you know as well as I do that you don't want to. Do you, David?"

Dave let out a soft whimper in response, which resulted in Balthazar taking one of his nipples between his thumb and forefinger, giving it a rough pinch that turned the noise into a gasp. "Why don't you try that again?"

"N-no, I don't want that," he rasped, his voice shaky as his master's rough hands caressed the expanse of his chest. He allowed his eyes to drift closed as the older man set the nerves of his skin on fire with an onslaught of lips, teeth, and tongue, moving slowly along the curve of his neck towards his shoulder. As Balthazar wrapped his lips around one of Dave's nipples, he glanced up at his face, suppressing a moan at the sight. Dave's face was flushed a rather attractive pink, and his parted lips trembled with each ragged breath he took.

Balthazar slowly ran his hands along Dave's slim sides, intending to begin unfastening his pants when a loud crash from the shop below caught his attention. For a moment, his eyes locked with Dave's with a look of confusion and concern, before he jumped from the bed, snatching up the first pieces of clothing he could find on the floor. Behind him on the bed, Dave made a move to sit up, only to be stopped short by the curtain restraints he had forgotten to free himself of. With an embarrassed groan, he took a deep breath and focused on loosening the knots until he was able to slip his wrists free.

Another loud crash sounded from the shop, followed by a familiar voice that made both men freeze. "Balthazar, I believe we have a bit of unfinished business to discuss!" Flicking his hand at his shirt, Dave sent the buttons fastening themselves as he stepped towards the bedroom door, only to be stopped by Balthazar's hand on his shoulder. The older man stood between him and the hallway, looking down at him with unreadable eyes. Mistaking his intentions, Dave stepped closer.

"You're not going down there alone, Balthazar."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Dave. I just wanted to do this before we go take care of our roach problem."

Dave was about to laugh at the comment, remembering the day ten years ago in _Arcana Cabana_, when Maxim Horvath had first escaped the grimhold in a swarm of cockroaches; but the sound died in his throat as Balthazar quickly pressed a rough, possessive kiss against his lips that left him breathless.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own the wonder that is _The Sorcerer's Apprentice_ (Disney does), and I am certainly not making any money off of this.

I'm gonna apologize now for this being a bit of a short chapter (at least compared to the previous two). But this really needed to cut off where it did for the way I want chapter 4 to flow. So...yeah! Enjoy! And please feed the plot bunnies some reviews at the end; they seem to have tired of carrots.

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Balthazar was the first to step from the stairs to the floor of the shop, and quickly found himself thrown across the room. "Good morning, Balthazar! Can't quite say that I've missed you, but I certainly have been looking forward to meeting you again." Horvath stepped closer to the sorcerer's pinned form, only to be pushed away by Dave, who was standing at the base of the stairs. "And David, of course. How could I have forgotten you," he said, laughing as Dave went flying by a force from the opposite corner of the room.

"Veronica?" Balthazar asked, drawing Dave's attention to the woman holding him magically to the wall.

"Hello, Balthazar." Her voice was cold as she looked at him briefly, moving her eyes to Dave, who was too startled and confused by her presence to attempt to break her hold on him.

"Why are you helping him?" The sound of Balthazar's voice caught Dave's attention and his eyes widened, moving back and forth between his master and the sorceress.

"W-wait, she's what?" He turned his eyes towards Balthazar as he spoke, and felt a chill roll along his spine at the man's worried expression.

"You'd be amazed what a woman scorned will do for revenge, Balthazar," Horvath answered, ignoring Dave's outburst.

"She's _what_?" Dave nearly shouted, letting out a strangled groan as he felt a pressure against his throat.

"_Silence_," Veronica hissed, glaring up at him with murder in her eyes. "I waited a thousand years in that doll to see him again, and _you_ think you can take him away from me?" The force around Dave's throat tightened, restricting his air just a little bit more. He could hear his blood pounding in his ears as he tried again and again to clear his mind, only to fail each time.

Balthazar tore his eyes away from the scene to face Horvath, and was relieved to see the other man still distracted by it. He twitched his hand, sending the other man crashing loudly into a stack of boxes a few feet away. Veronica glanced at him over her shoulder just as he sent Horvath's cane flying to the opposite corner of the room.

"Move again, Balthazar, and you'll watch your apprentice die." Her fingers twitched slightly, and Dave gasped, his eyes widening as his breathing became more strained. The pressure was enough to begin cutting off the blood-flow in his arteries, giving him only seconds with a clear mind before he would lose consciousness. Balthazar noticed him glance down only a second before he moved, a small jerk of his hand sending a heavy, wooden idol flying into Veronica's back. The sorceress stumbled, sending Dave crumpling to the ground with a soft groan.

The small distraction cost her, and Balthazar threw her across the room, into the same corner as Horvath, who had begun to stand. Both crashed to the floor again, giving him the time to move to Dave's side.

"Dave?" he asked, placing his hands on his apprentice's face, turning it to face him. His eyes fluttered, and a surge of relief washed over Balthazar. "Dave, listen to me. Where is the grimhold? You're the one who hid it, you have to tell me where!" The younger man's head turned in his hands, lolling to his shoulder, and his panic returned. He was hurt. "David!" he snapped, more out of worry than anger.

"Stairs," Dave gasped out, his eyelids twitching open for a brief moment before closing again. "In...the stairs." The sound of boxes shifting behind him drew his attention, and he turned to see Horvath and Veronica were standing again. Veronica stepped forward with a smirk on her lips, her hands reaching for the stones of the wall behind Dave. Twisting back around at the loud scraping of stone against stone, he was surprised to see Dave's eyes open, staring at the collection of stones hovering above his head. "Hurry," he rasped, his voice weak. Every muscle in his body seemed tense, and as he rose to move for the staircase, Balthazar felt fear coiling in the pit of his stomach.

It was surprising that the younger man was even conscious at the moment, and from the sound of his voice, it wouldn't be long before he collapsed. Veronica's magic was strong, and even if all she'd done to him was strangle, it was enough to hurt him. And Balthazar had is doubts that was the only thing she'd done in the moments she had pinned Dave to the wall. Magic had a funny way of doing things the eyes couldn't see.

Finding the hidden compartment in the stone staircase wasn't difficult, and within seconds, Balthazar had the grimhold doll in his hands. When he turned back towards his apprentice, though, he felt his heart lodge in his throat. Dave had managed the spell to slow Horvath and Veronica's actions to a crawl, but he could see that it wouldn't hold for long. With more force than he realized he had, Balthazar dispersed the slowing spell, flicking his hand to divert the path of the two fire spells contained within it. Opening the doll in his hands, he threw it towards his two one-time friends in their moment of surprise, watching as both were pulled into the prison with a cry of rage.

He left it to fall to the floor with a thud as he returned to Dave's side, lifting the younger man's body gingerly in his arms. Dave was breathing, and his pulse thrummed steadily- if slowly- beneath Balthazar's fingers as he carried him up to their apartment. It wasn't until he laid his apprentice onto his mattress, placing himself beside him and holding him close to his chest, that he realized there were tears in his eyes.

Burying his nose in Dave's short hair, Balthazar inhaled his scent and waited for the knot in his stomach to fade. There was do longer a concern of whether Dave was going to be alright; his pulse was strengthening again, and his breathing had become less labored. Still, there was a soft rasping sound with every inhale, and until his apprentice was awake and able to prove he was truly alright, Balthazar was going to worry; Veronica truly could have killed him. He tightened his hold around the younger man's waist, reassuring himself that he was still there as he shook those thoughts from his mind.

Dave shifted in his arms, his brow furrowed, and Balthazar quickly moved one hand to his shoulder, rubbing it gently until he was soothed. The corner of the sorcerer's lips curved up in an affectionate smile, and he continued the soft touch for several minutes, simply enjoying the contact. A small flicker of Dave's eyelids caught his attention, and he watched for a moment until his eyes opened more. He looked at the room in confusion at first, before turning his head and noticing Balthazar behind him.

"You're okay." His voice was soft, but the relief in it was still evident, and Balthazar wrapped his arms tightly around him once again.

"I have you to thank for that," he murmured against his shoulder, feeling tears welling at the corners of his eyes for the second time. Dave was alright. _His_ Dave was alright. Rolling over slowly, Dave curled up to Balthazar's chest with a soft whine.

"No crying," he muttered, the words muffled slightly by the older man's shirt. For a moment, he was taken by surprise by the comment, before letting out a deep laugh, giving the young man in his arms a squeeze. Resting his chin against the top of Dave's head, he began to rub small, soothing circles on his lower back until the both of them fell into a peaceful sleep.

Balthazar awoke later that evening, frowning at the empty spot beside him in the bed. He only had a moment to wonder why the sheets where the younger man had lain were already cold before the smell of smoke assaulted his nose. Jumping up, he darted for the stairs, cursing under his breath and fearing the worst. When he reached the kitchen, however, he froze and nearly laughed when Dave looked over at him with an embarrassed smile. In his hands was one of their few cooking pans, with what appeared to be the charred remains of chicken inside.

"I was trying to surprise you," he muttered, turning away and scraping the ruined food into the garbage can.

"I suppose I should be grateful I didn't walk into a room full of enchanted cookware, then." Dave's cheeks flamed at the comment, and Balthazar chuckled softly, leaning against the door-frame and watching him as he discarded the pan in the sink with a sigh. His shoulders were slumped, and he looked as if something more than the failed dinner attempt was on his mind. "Put your shoes on and meet me outside," Balthazar said, turning away and heading for the door to the outside staircase.

"Where are we going?" Dave asked, snatching his shoes up from the corner where he had kicked them off earlier.

"I'm taking you to dinner, of course."

"Oh...Wait, is this like a date? Balthazar?" There was no answer to his questions except for the sound of the door closing, and Dave quickly pulled his shoes on with a sigh. It took him several moments to finally get out the door, having to go back to his room for his wallet in case Balthazar conveniently forgot to bring money, as he had the last time he 'took Dave out for dinner'. When he finally made it to the street, he found the older man leaning against the side of his ancient car and groaned. "We're taking that old thing?"

"Yes, Dave, we are. And if you have such a problem with 'old things', I must wonder what you find appealing about _me_." His tone was joking, but Dave noticed the brief flash of concern that entered his eyes and stepped closer.

"_You_ are an exception." Balthazar gave him a skeptical look, and the younger man blushed, looking back at the car. Conveniently, his stomach chose to fill the moment of silence by growling loudly. "Didn't you say something about dinner?"

"Yes, I did." Dave turned to open the car door, only to be stopped by Balthazar's hand on his shoulder. The sorcerer held him in place long enough to press a brief, but demanding, kiss on his lips before stepping away. "I'm going to get an answer out of you, David. Just be aware of that."


End file.
